Henry Johnson
Henry Johnson was born in Prairie Township, Holmes Co., Ohio, near the Wayne County line, August 5, 1823, son of William and Catherine (Laing) Johnson, natives of Virginia, the latter a daughter of Robert Laing. In 1817 the parents moved to Holmes County, Ohio, settled in Prairie Township, and bought fifty-five acres of Government land, which was the family homestead for a number of years; thence they moved to the village of Shreve, Wayne Co., Ohio, where they resided until the death of the mother which occurred in June, 1867, after which the father lived with his children until his death; he died in 1884, aged ninety-one years. He served in the War of 1812. Their family consisted of six children: Robert, Joseph, William, Henry, Ellen and Elizabeth; Robert, Ellen and Henry being the only ones now living.
Henry Johnson spent his early life in his native township, and when twenty-two years of age, learned the trade of blacksmith, at which he worked three years in Holmesville; then he commenced agricultural pursuits, following the same on the farm inherited by Rebecca Johnson. The farm contains 110 acres of valuable land, and the improvements on it are among the best in the county. Mr. Johnson was married October 19, 1848, at the home of the bride, by Rev. Harrison Jones, to Rebecca, daughter of Alexander and Jane (Morgan) Lockhart, former a native of Virginia. Mr. and Mrs. Lockhart moved from Virginia to Ohio in 1814, the father driving an ox wagon containing their goods, and the mother riding on horseback with her babe on her lap. All they had when they came to this State was his wages for four years' labor. They first lived one year in Wayne County, and thence came to Holmes County, settling on their farm where they lived the remainder of their lives, owning in all by purchase some 900 acres of land. They came here when the place was one vast forest, inhabited by the red man, and abundance of deer, wolves and other wild animals. Mr. Lockhart served as justice of the peace several terms. His family consisted of twelve children, four of whom are living: Julia, Jane, Rachel and Rebecca. At the death of the father, March 11, 1837, each of the children inherited 100 acres of land, the widowed mother remaining at the homestead until the time of her death , October 9, 1869.
Mr. and Mrs Johnson are the parents of six children, five of whom are living: Gilbert, Ida (Mrs. Bowers), Jane, Anna and Clementine. Mr. Johnson is a Republican in politics. He has served his township as school director and trustee. He and his family are members of the Lutheran Church, of which, at present, Rev. H. H. Hall is pastor.
From Commemorative Biographical Record of the Counties of Wayne and Holmes, Ohio, J. H. Beers & Co., Chicago, 1889